The Student Government Association (SGA) held its Election Town Hall yesterday, September 15, to let candidates share their campaign messages. Voting officially started today and will end tomorrow after Election Night. SGA will host their Election Night tomorrow, September 17, 7-8 p.m. in the USAO Ballroom.
Each candidate presented informative speeches on how they would make changes within the USAO community, should they receive the seat they are running for. Before making any changes, the importance of the SGA meeting is to review all candidates for the future they see at USAO.
Here is an overview of the candidates of the 2026 SGA Election:
Senior Ward:
Erica Bicknell
Bicknell’s focus is on the creative future of USAO students and the university as a whole. Bicknell believes the university’s use of AI on social media is having a negative impact on the university.
Mary Branch
Branch brought attention students’ concerns about their own privacy on campus, as it relates to data collection, such as with the new parking pass system. She noted students don’t know where their information is going and who has access to it.
Junior Ward:
Jay Viney
Viney noted several students experience food insecurity on campus and wants to bring awareness to other resources, such as local churches and other pantries in the Chickasha community. In addition, Viney would like to bridge gaps between differing clubs on campus.
Dez Scott
Scott believes clubs are foundational to the USAO community, and would like to possibly create a Black Student Union. Scott would like to connect the USAO community and uplift student voices.
Sophomore Ward:
Samaya Greene
Greene encourages campus involvement and connecting the USAO community. She would like to emphasize communication and continue to make students aware of SGA decisions.
Sophie Siems
Siems would like to add charging stations given the change in Proxess locks to the campus dormitory and apartment locks.
Benjamin McMullin
McMullin wants to continue to foster the sense of community on campus as well as advocating for change. McMullin believes collaborating with other clubs is integral to encouraging campus unity.
Freshman Ward:
Kaylee Ellis
Ellis could not attend the town hall. However, Ellis sent a campaign video to be played in her absence. Her goals entail preserving community.
Adam Kanniainen
Kanniainen would like to add charging stations to campus for students, with the move to Proxess locks. He would also like to add more ways for students to connect with one another, such as academic bowls.
Ian Cardwell
Cardwell wants to find ways to help connect students on campus. Additionally, he would like to add charging stations.
Science and Kinesiology Ward:
Leigha VanOrsdol
VanOrsdol would like to improve internal communication at USAO. She stated in her past years working for SGA she has passed several pieces of legislation, including gender neutral bathrooms and removing dead names from visible campus posts.
Kelan Smith-Johnson
Johnson was not available for comment at the town hall meeting.
Social Sciences and Business Ward:
Kitt Whittle
Whittle would like to encourage student involvement in joining and participating in clubs. She believes student involvement is imperative for student success.
Emeri Golden
Golden would also like to encourage student involvement. Golden wants to push fore more events fro online students, as she noticed not many online students are involved on campus.
Arts and Humanities Ward:
Colin Monterosso
Monterosso would like to tangibly help as many students as possible and encourage club funding support.
Jovi Klein
Klein encourages students to keep up with creative clubs. Additionally, Klein would like to create interactive fundraisers to boost student engagement and proposed the idea of Renaissance Fairs.
Elias Medlin
Medlin would like to start a newsletter for students, and would like to continue open communication from SGA to the students.
Education and Speech-Language Pathology:
Kat Cullum
Cullum would like to encourage student trust in faculty. Additionally, Cullum would like to encourage student connection through student get-togethers.
Willow Neron
Neron would like to create a safe space for students on campus. Neron would also like to give support to students as they continue to rebuild trust in faculty.
Off-Campus and Communter Ward:
Thomas Jackson
Jackson would like to find a way to ease the burden of commuter students on campus, and to help commuters get the most out of their time.
Dominick Massey
Massey would like to find a way to keep commuter students in the loop, and primarily emphasized email support.
Kelsey Frahm
Frahm would like to offer more events during the day to get more commuter students involved.
Whitley Brown is a fourth-year communication major at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
